about ben gaz benny benghazi, wu tomorrow night, fox business special debate coverage is next, good night from new york. neil: welcome. this is the scene in the room spinally, it is a room, i am neil cavuto it is very good to have you with us, in this room, behind me, you caesa see the ses for both parties and candidates, paul ryan who'll be referred to as mr. rubi mr. ryan already har

people in place, they come in reminding reporters, their candicandidate is not up to snu. do not expect much. paul ryan's people have been saying he younger, a lot less experienced, joe biden has been around forest e. and elected to senate whennpaul ryan of all of 3 years old, and biden comes back saying that paul ryan has been right in the heat, well steeped in this give and take. he has the edge over the vice president, then, when all said and done, both guys are considered by their guys to be little bit brilliant. that is amazing, that ascends over the stan standard of find e

minutes. a man who knows these debates well, could be, majority leader. of course, mitch mcconnell here in the spin room, not many spinmeisters here. but i guess there will be. >> correct t welcome to kentuck. neil: a beautiful state. our table on what paul ryan has to do today, people have told us, hey, the onus so him. man, don't expect much. >> i think that the onus is on both, given significance of last week's debate, which is really uniacee usual for a debate to change the landscape biden wanting to reset the president's campaign after a bad week that we've seen in the polls. neil: are you surprised about how much of an affect it had? >> it is unusual, president got

creamed. when his own campaign manager admits he had a bad night. neil: it was not a good night. i could tell, right afterwards in the spin room not as many of their people came out to spin. >> i was talking about how they downplay it and nobody acted like the president was a genius after. that tells you who won. american people heard the interpretation of who won even if they do not watch the debate, that produced momentum. biden is coming in trying to figure out a way to reverse the trend, ryan would like to continue it. you know they are smart and capable, they know how to debate, they are go good on ther feet, their goal is clear abiden to reverse the tide, and ryan to continue the rise. neil: do you think we'll hear a

wonk fest discussion out of them, pro and cons, ryan likes numbers and joe biden, he too is a wonk about this stuff, that could be masterpiece theater. >> i am expecting they have been warned about that, keep it short. if i'm in paul ryan's shoes, the message is simple. what you want the american people to think about, is the question of whether you want 4 more years like the last 4 years. every answer he gives, i think is going to be judged through that prism. you know do we -- this is a decision about rehiring an incumbant for 4 more years, this is a hiring decision, if people are comfortable with where america is and has been taken over last 4 years, then the president has a leg up, if on the other hand, they are not happy, that gives us an edge. if i'm paul ryan that is the

basic point i want to leave with people. neil: let's talk built format, it is economic and foreign affairs, it is at a table. you were mentioning before the show, that can make a psychological difference? how does a table change? >> it makes it more of a conversation, i like this fore malt, and i liked one last week but they were standing, i like having one moderate tor. or, not debating 3 people on your side. okay i am facing 4 reporters and my opponent. i think this is a better way to do it, -- >> who agrees to the seats? or it would be a table? 4 years ago you reminded me with sarah palin and joe biden they stood up. two prior debates with dick cheney they sat down. >> i don't know whether the campaigns can negotiate that or

whether that is determined by the debate commission that puts these on. i do not know that answer. neil: if it were me, i would say snacks, i would have snacks, and chips, and dip, if you are going the table route go all the way. it is a more relaxed atmosphere, you could say silly stuff. >> you could but you shouldn't. neil: in the end, do you expect the senator moves the need will much or is the onus on the presidential candidate. >> normally, you would not expect the vice presidential debate to make a difference but given last week this will be in the contactses to be of that. i think that debate will be viewed through the prism of last one, there will be more interest and we'll see, whether it affects the numbers. neil: let's talk about the numbers for the senate, out of

nowhere scott brown leading in massachusets. you said for a long time it is a 50/50 senate, if it is that way with a republican, you are the majority leader, and that way with barack obama, you are not. >> right. neil: so, where do you think they stand now. >> well, we have 8 or 10 really, really, really, really close races. neil: they have gotten closer. >> i'm looking at poll numbers every morning and there are a lot of places where it could go either way, anybody who made a confident predicted to us a month in advance, i would like to thank my mother in raising foolish children, it is a 50/50, the better governor romney does the more likely we are of a good day. neil: he is selling coattails, is he helping them?

>> it helps, and some places. the presidential is irrelevant. we have a couple states where the democratic nominee is trying to get as far away from obama as possible, and places where the president is going to carry the state that we have a good chance of winning, massachusets and connecticut issue are two examples. neil: what about the swing states, now as you said, you have to sustain that which mines that president has to do roughly what he did in the next debate. like in last or he come guns ablazing and do an al gore thing and be a different guy for each debate. >> senate races are less affected by top ticket. neil: i'm talking presidential race now. >> i think that is now genuinely competitive. not only national polls, but looking at the poll state by state, because, the numbers i look at every morning in addition to senate numbers they

have presidential numbers, there is no question that governor romney helped himself immensely after last week, we would like for it to last. neil: right, the numbers that went from double digit in ohio to mid single digit, many counterparts say, they think that is under state the support that mitt romney has. >> closer than that in ohio. neil: what do you engine. >think?>> a dead even race. neil: really. >> yes. neil: and this early voting that president has been focussing on, take advantage of an also ary lead. >> i read in ohio a lot of early voters are democratic, but other states they are majority is republican. in the end you have a total of all voters, i would not read too much into the early vote. there are reports that president has gotten off to a good start in early voting in ohio.

neil: quickly, we'll be live in washington this weekend, we hope to call you if you are available. covering the other discussion that is getting little discussion this so-called fiscal cliff we're facing, is it your sense that what they might do, both sides, regardless who was is elected, is table everything for 6 months, extend all of the rates delay all of the cuts for 6 months, let cooler heads prevail in the new year. >> i'm not going to predict. wild work on that the day after the election, i don't think we should let happen is what could be described aid thelma and luis economic, right out of cliff. all people that i know, everyone who is knowledgeable believes that allow taxes to go up on everyone. producers. neil: there are still division there, maybe --

>> that is why we have negotiations. neil: would a lame duck likely push everything back. >> a lame duck would likely soft will prob -- solve the problem, what the solution is i don't know. neil: i think you know. >> i don't. neil: i think you do. mitch mcconnell thank you very much in his beautiful state. we'll talk with javier becerra about 50 minutes away. it could reinforce an impression that mitt romney made for republicans last week or change the ball game, usually vice presidential debates do that, but they pun punctuate, more frm danville, kentucky, right after this.

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neil: i swore it was a suzuki vacuum cleaner, we have 4 first converse -- first controversy, a foreign vacuum cleaner at the vice presidential debate. it is all cleaned up, they are getting ready for two candidates to make their way out. the vice president, i guess they did a coin toss. vice president gets first question at him, it will be paul ryan who makes the closing statement, so he makes the closing argument. javier becerra from the great state of california joining me now. congressman we were talking about the table venue, it takes the fire out of the moment, well because you are sitting at the table. >> there is enough to talk about someone will light a flame. there are so many issues to discuss. they may have to do a

investigative report on that vacuum. neil: on that vacuum cleaner, i have no idea. do you get a sense, here is what bothers me about both parties, no one is talking about the 800-ton elephant in the room. the end of year phenomenon that has been likened to a fiscal cliff, when everything hits the fan at once. do you think it will be addressed? >> it should be addressed, we should resolve before recess, we can resolve in what is the lame duck session, we should not wait until december 31. neil: would a lame duck session, likely punt. in other words say we'll keep it like itlike it is for 6 months n address it. >> speaker boehner just mentioned that this week, i don't think that is the way to

do that. you would not run the smallest business on main street that way, you should not run the economy that way. neil: in other words, if you can't come to an agreement. >> why can't we. you get to congress is when work. neil: but have you not done that. i understand, but i guess, you expect it to be a focus, democrats will blame republicans, and republicans democrats for stalling, in the end, is the onus on the vice president because he is the vice president. he is the lord of the incumbent administration, so paul ryan by comparison does not have as much comparison. >> talking still the fiscal? -- >> the vice presidential debate and this issue. >> the pressure is on both of them, they both have to deliver

and ready to serve in vice president's offers, they have to show they are a good teammate to their presidential partner. neil: democrats always say the fear with joe biden he is glib, almost too glib, he might say something crazy. >> he speaks from the heart. >> you are not worried. >> no he speaks from the heart. neil: paul ryan. >> he is a smart guy, a numbers guy, i hope he tracks about the facts of his plan, and what he is planning instead of pie in the sky ideas. neil: you are pretty seasoned and savvy democrat. >> thank you. neil: season and savvy democrats tell me they wince at joe biden, not that they don't respect him but he is getting to be like the crazy uncle. >> i have respect for him, he speaks to the people.

neil: great, you don't find him to be a craze uncle at all? >> i think he is a great vice president, and he would make another great vice president for 4 more years. neil: we will hear from sarah palin coming up. with what is at stake, do you remember this young lady in this same position 4 years ago, a debate that drew more than 70 million viewers, the biggest and most watched debate, presidential or vice presidential in the number of a decade. the numbers and the pressure on these two tonight, whether they can out palin and biden that one, we'll see.

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neil: here we are in danville, kentucky, in the spin room, a couple plod cast blog -- broadcast blogs and lined up, we're all next to each other. we are a little bit more spread out here, you probably want to skip dinner because, there is that little room, if you eat too much all of a sudden i'm spilling over into a rival news service, i don't top do that, i want to save myself for you. we're about a half hour away from the big debate, and pressure is oboth guys, if you think about it, if you are paul

ryan, the young guy who was all of 3 years old when joe biden was first elected to senate in delaware. and your boss, had a fantastic performance about a week ago. and if you are joe biden our boss on an off week. so ou have to knock it out of the park without saying anything crazy. andy is joining us from california. i am rooting for, i don't care if you are left or right from this we never had someone from fast-food world assume a cabinet position, and someone who is dominating the fast-food world

for years and stays thin. andy, it is good to have you. what are you expecting out of paul ryan tonight? >> first of all, neil, it is great to be here, as soon as get a break you need to run out to a hardee's in danville, and get a burger. >> you are right they are here. paul ryan needs to stick to the big issues of a choice of 4 more years of the last 4 years, which we can't really deal with. to moving on to economic growth, and people having jobs, and people getting off welfare instead of encouraging them to be on welfare, he need to be careful to try not to address every inaccuracy or untruth that joe biden comes up with. if he handles it like the

governor did in the original debate, states the position, and states the facts and what he believes, i think that the american people ill get it, the attempts last time as governor romney said, the more you repeat a lie does not make to the truth. if paul ryan sticks with the campaign he is a smart guy he will do good. neil: i want to pick your brain, a ceo, you sit down, you relax, when i hold meetings with my staff we're standing up, i do that, because i have the attendtiotion span of a gnat, bt when you sit down, next thing people are ordering coffee and chilling out. i think it takes the urgency out. some people say that is better, a more cerebral thoughtful

discussion, maybe that is the case, but as a ceo what do you think about the table? sitting down as you face your opponent, does this change the dynamic? does it make it different from denver last week? >> i hope it leads to a thoughtful debate. i think that the issues, i think that the issues are what the american people want to hear, i think that both candidates know the issues. when i was an attorney we held depositions at tables we sat across from each other, it could become very contentious. joe biden is an experienced, aggressive debater, he is 18 debates at the vice presidential level. and this is paul ryan's first one. neil: now do you that think, that thing where you short selling your guy, he is not a comp bluccomplished at this stui

will hear from you and the other side, of words, wow, hello mensarc hersa here is my guy. why, why do they do that, then afterwards say look how great he did. >> i think you try to not build up expectations, a lot of what people think about the debate is based on what they thought of the candidate going in. if they, expectation someone not to do well, it looks like they did well. but in this case, paul ryan is you know a wonderful smart guy he knows details, what i'm hoping he does not get into a trap you get into, if you have not done a lot of debates, that is try to address every issue that comes up, where the other side says something inaccuracies. i am hoping we'll see a more

experienced debate, where we are facing real choices in our country, like governor romney did, i know paul ryan can do that, i can't wait to see it happen. neil: thank you andy. annie puzder, we're going to look for that hardee's, it is around the corner, thank you. neil: in middle of this, we had economic news, and jobless claims that is a sort of a crowd is developing around this theory, the numbers are fixed. they are not what they seem, particularly in california, the former california of that fine state, gray davis will be joining me and whether we can trust the data we're told is improving, but so many others are doubting ed niece as well former attorney general -- eds me asmeesrec as well. more from danville next. nearly 1 billion people around the world

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neil: welcome back. this is another area, adjacent to this center, the filing center, hundreds of print reporters gather. i am in a broadcast center area, these folks are monitoring and watching, filing their stories, wire services, blogs and magazines, i'm telling you across the hallway from them is a cafeteria, no a dining hall, free beer. i mean they are serving peer on beer on tap all you want, i know what you are thinking, neil, not you.

well, for you to question, me to know. you will judge my performance based on those fears or whether they are justified. it is amazing they allow it kentucky, the bourbon state, a lot of bourbon flowing freely, that is what is happening. i want to get to my next guest, mccurry, bill clinton's top aide. there will be no applauding either candidate, you can't be throwing paper cups at people or any of free beer at the guy next to you. you have to behave and comp are oowesyourself like adults, you t do anything unruly. that is what mike is doing, that

does not stop them from applauding, or you know, you know, heckling on behalf of the candidates they like. to former california governor gray davis, first, what he made of what is at stake this night, does this move the needle either way? >> i think it might, that is why you are there and all those reporters are there and why 50 million people will watch. i think if both candidates do a good job, state their points clearly, the basis will respond, and hopefully they can reach some independence. neil: you know, governor, i'm talking to you today with a jobless claims figure out, normally i don't focus on them, because they vary week-to-week. as we discussed before. but it has been called into question with this 11.8% un-- 7. 8% un. rate then out of nowhere a drop of 30,000 claims, earlier

thought that california was either left out of it or numbers were getting from your fine state were not reliable. but at the very least it raised a new concern about the accuracy of the data we're getting. i know your own state labor department said there nothingon unusual but what can you make of argument. can we trust the data we're getting? >> i'm like you, let's go with a 4 week moving average that is 11,000 fewer claims that is lowest in 6 months, that is a good sign, you know 7.8% unemployment not surprise to me. because, they found 80,000 jobs total between july and august that were not reported before, that made sense, i think that everywhere you look there is green chute, positive sign, 5 million new jobs since private sector jobs since president took

offers, not perfect, but headed in the right direction. neil: all right, but net-net we're down more than 2 million since this president took office, i am wondering whether if you are a democrat you want to focus on the numbers since the recovery took hold, i would assume, if you are paul ryan you want to focus on january 20. what has been going on. mitt romney scored talking about the overall economy while even if you want to say it is better that does not mean it is good. what do you say? >> well, a challenger always has the luxury of saying, i can do it better, maybe they character maybe they can't -- maybe they can, maybe they can't, but if a president said this is the choice, no question that governor romney is an be abled, but he wants to take the middle class where i think most don't want to go. under president obama things are

getting better than they were. if you want to follow more tax cuts and more benefits, vote for him, if you want to continue the course of president clinton built -- i mean president obama, vote for him. neil: quickly, a certain book that is out by your successor arnold schwarzenegger. he talks about a lot of affairs, i am wondering how he had time to be governor? >> you know, i'm not an expert on arnold's personal life. i like him as a person. i amy -- i have not read the book, i wish him well, i like maria and the the kids, i hope they find a way to move on. neil: much of the book focusing on affairs not so much as governor, which is a defining moment in his career, he talks about thousand unique -- how uk

unique his elect was, i am wondering as a former governor, in a way he besmirched governorship. >> i have not read the book, he is like a lot of governors with successes and failure, i put myself in that category. so, all in i think he did okay. but i cannot comment on his extra curricular activities. neil: all right, nor should i be so tacky to pursue them, which may lead some viewers to wonder whether i did embibe on that beer. >> thank you. neil: i am not kidding about the free beer, going out to anyone and everyone that wants it including bis pres -- big press.

we're 20 minutes away. from danville, kentucky, after this. ...seems like you guys got a little gassed out there.

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neil: all right, getting ready for the big debate for the number twos, senator kelly of great state of new hampshire, joining me. senator, the better known candidate is the vice president. everyone knows joe biden. not as many know paul ryan. so you are paul ryan, how do you introduce yourself to the american people to make a big splash. >> i don't think he needs to make a big splash .

>> he is smart, he understands the numbers i think that is who he needs to be, who he is, who he is, is what we need. neil: the rap against him, i have no problem with people being nerds, i built a career on it, but he wonex wonks people oe is a numbers guy, that can bore people in this venue. >> if he puts the numbers in context like governor romney dhow it relates to our average american, gas prices have doubled. where we are with the economy. anemic economic growth, the debt, what it means for the americans and their children,

and us and our future. that is where the numbers matter, that is his strength going into this. looking back at governor's debate, he had the numbers and weaved it into the vision for america. neil: do you think he will heat. you voted against the debt commission, i know he felt the debt commission did not address entitlement, is that going to3 fall on deaf years, saying you say one thing and do another? >> i think this is not going to happen, the president is vulnerable in the debt commission, it was his idea, his debt commission, he failed to seize it he did not even take it and alter it, he let it die, that is a lack of leadership, they are vulnerable on that issue, paul ryan did have an idea. and let's put that in contrast with the president, his budget, zero vote from either party.

they have a problem there with trying to take ryan to task on it. neil: we're facing a fiscal cliff, as you know, but no one is doing anything about. it is it your sense, that it will be up to a lame duck session to address it, and not punt for another 6 months. i cannot see two sides coming together to reconcile their differences at the end of the year so they would punt? >> i think that people are waiting to see the outcome of this election, that is unfortunate. neil: that will set the tempo. >> it will set the tone of where we go. i hope we take on these problems, we have to get certain -- on private sector, and in addition getting our fiscal house in order, we cannot keep kicking this can. neil: we keep kicking it. >> we're go the at that in congress. neil: thank you very much senator.

>> thank you, neil. neil: a lady who defied expectations, you never know, she is a smarty pants senator now. >> anything can happen. neil: out of nowhere. >> there you go. that is greatness of america. neil: thank you. the dean of college here, they are doing the same thing they did in denver last week, they are setting this up, this is not like going to a bruce springsteen concert, you might get zztop ahead of that, if this is jazzing the crowd ahead of the debate. i don't know. i found out, you know, they are off this whole week, the kids of our this week, did you know that? they are off, but they are here for the big debate. more after this.

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neil: all right. abc's martha raddatz the moderate or tonight, and controversy that barack obama was at a wedding she was at. creating a an conflict of interest. she may go the other way to dispel people of the notion she is slighted against republicans, ed meese, we all know what debate did for ronald reagan, including one particular one. jimmy carter, how he came back from a shaky one against walter

mondale, for paul ryan and looks up to ronald reagan, do you think he is take anything lessons from him, things he will imitate? >> i think he might, he might take cues in a since of knowing how ronald reagan approached the debate to maintain a friendly disposition to be alert to the questions, and respond appropriately. and also to be very polite, and to be the gentlemen he always was. neil: ed, i am wondering, as a former attorney general, now, a lot of legal questions raised about the benghazi blow up, what the administration knew, many are demanding to see cables from ambassador stephens that they

think shows he was concerned about his safety, that it could blow up, and legally it should be investigated, and warrant the hiring of a special prosecutor. do you think it blows up to be that big of an issue, and do you think it will come up in this debate. >> it may come up, i think that the administration is in a very tough position, they have two answers, which were not good, one is they were incompetent the other, they were lying. neil: true to your word, keeping it straight and simple like your old boss. if it takes away from this administration. you heard from time again from vice president that osama bin laden is dead, but there is a fear there is a lot more osama bin ladens out there and the gm is looking shaky, these days, you know the administrations key

assets might turn to boomerang. >> i think people are getting tired offin hearing that line fm joe biden, they know that obama did the same thing, that any president in modern day would have made, the idea for taking any credit for what the brave military personnel did and to accent weight his -- to accent wait his role in it, instead of commenting the men and women is rank eling a lot of people these days. neil: thank you have much, ed meese. you were looking at joe biden, and his wife, you know that story, he asked her to marry him a half doe dozen times, we're waiting just a few minutes from the start of the debate, will go

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♪ neil: welcome back, everyone. you know, that's the first child i've seen at the debate in the room. i don't know who the little fellow is, but he'll be witnessing history. kids at these types of things, and when they are invited, the challenge is staying awake. of course, maybe he has a pocket tv to watch espn. first child i've seen here. everyone is sitting in place. there was a lot of reach for the seats in the upper tier here. it's a steep tier, mostly "politico" and family members and seats parceled out to the crowd. two minutes away. rich edson now on what we can expect and the format of this debate. hey, rich. >> hey, neil. this format is broke up into nine